Dictionary of Weightlifting, Bodybuilding, and Exercise Terms and Techniques

No warranty is expressed or implied. While every attempt is made to ensure the accuracy of the
following information, some errors or omissions may exist. This document does not constitute
medical advice and the author is not a member of the medical profession, but simply someone with
a general understanding of how to pick up big, heavy things and put them back down.

The muscles in the front of the stomach, giving the
"six pack"
look in people with sufficiently low bodyfat. Their function
is to draw the base of the ribcage and the hips towards each
other, as occurs when performing
crunches
. Note that conventional
sit-ups
are performed largely by the
iliopsoas
muscles

a common
over the counteranalgesic
(pain reliever) that is not a
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drug, sold
under the brand name Tylenol&reg, and many others.
It may be used when a pain killer is desired which will not inhibit clotting
or produce gastric upset, though it will
not provide any anti-inflammatory effects, nor may it be substituted for aspirin
in the
ECA stack.

producing or accentuating male sexual characteristics (body hair, deepened
voice, male pattern baldness). One of the characteristics of steroids, whether
synthesized in the lab or naturally in the body is their anabolic-androgenic
ratio: if some amount of steroid X produces the same
anabolic
effects as a given amount of testosterone, how do the androgenic effects compare
to those produced by that quantity of testosterone.

originally a brand name, aspirin is now a generic term for acetylsalicylic
acid (C
9
H
8
O
4
), a common
over the counternon-steroidal anti-inflammatory
Side effects include inhibition of blood clotting (so that it may
increase internal bleeding and/or the extent of bruising if used
when an injury is fresh).
acetaminophen
(Tylenol&reg)
may be used when a pain killer without these effects is desired, though it will
not provide any anti-inflammatory effects, nor may it be substituted for aspirin
in the
ECA stack.

movement due to momentum rather than muscular control. Ballistic
stretching involves "throwing" a body part in order to stretch a
joint beyond the range of motion attainable through controlled
muscular contraction such as when "bouncing" at the bottom of
toe-touches. It is an effective technique for causing injury to
connective tissue, which can reduce flexibility rather than enhance it.

a straight or curved bar typically five to seven feet in
length designed to have weights placed on the ends.
A standard seven-foot olympic (takes plates with 2"
holes) barbell weighs either 44 pounds (20 kilograms)
or 45 pounds, not including collars.

A piece of gym equipment with a horizontal or mostly horizontal top surface designed to
be sat upon or lain upon while performing an exercise. Benches may be flat, inclined (angled
so that an exerciser lying on the bench would have his head higher than his hips), or declined
(angled so that an exerciser lying on the bench would have his head lower than his hips). Benches
may have uprights attached on the sides for supporting a
barbell or to assist in the performance of other exercises.

An exercise performed lying face-up on a horizontal surface such as a bench. Start with a barbell
held in both hands a little wider than shoulder width apart, lower it to your chest, then push upwards
to return it to the starting position. A narrower grip and elbows held closer to the body will focus
more on the deltoids and triceps, a wider grip with
elbows further to the sides away from the body will put more stress on the pectorals
Bench presses may also be performed on an incline bench (tilted so shoulders are higher than hips) or a
decline bench (tilted so that hips are higher than shoulders).

a very tight, sturdy shirt usually made from denim or neoprene
theoretically worn for protection during bench press competitions
whose main effect is to increase the amount of weight lifted by
compressing and straightening the chest and arms.

An exercise for the lats and biceps. When performed
using free weights, start with your waist bent so that your torso is parallel
(or nearly parallel) to the ground; hold a barbell in both hands with your arms hanging downward.
While keeping your torso in the same position, pull the barbell up to your stomach, then lower it
until your arms are straight again and repeat.

This exercise may also be performed with dumbbells, in which case it is often done one arm at a
time while the other arm may be used for support by putting your forearm on your thigh or by putting
your hand on a bench. When performed on a low-row machine, the bent row is typically done in the
seated position with the torso upright and a bar attached to a pully is pulled towards the stomach.

a beta-agonist or beta
adrenoceptoragonist
is a drug or chemical
that partially mimics the effects of
epinephrine,
primarily targeting the beta
adrenoceptors
which
accelerate heart rate and increase blood pressure (beta-1), dilate bronchial
passages (beta-2), and release fatty acids from fat cells into the blood
stream (all beta receptors). The most commonly encountered beta agonists
are asthma drugs such as ephedrine and albuterol which target the beta-2
receptor.

the large, two-headed muscle on the back of the thigh. Contracting
this muscle flexes the knee and also extends the hip (only one head
of the muscle originates above the hip joint and contributes to this movement).
exercises targeting this muscle include

The ratio (nitrogen retained)/(nitrogen consumed) for a
single protein source consumed in relatively small quantity and without
any other foods. For most athletes consuming reasonable diets, this is
not an important factor.

Yet another way of approximating body composition for use in large-scale medical
studies and for health reports to refer to in the popular press. This particular measure
is calculated by dividing your mass in kilograms by the square of your height in meters.
While such simplistic measures are useful for large statistical samples of the general
population, their value is highly limited for individuals, particularly athletes who can be
very healthy and have low bodyfat percentages despite having a higher-than-recommended
BMI.

a variation on the
squat
performed with a bench, box, or other solid object
under the lifter that stops the decent at the bottom.
This can cause excessive compression of the spine and
possibly lead to injury.

the
amino acids
L-leucine, L-isoleucine, and L-valine, so named
because of their branched structure. They are a major constituent of muscle
tissue and are preferentially consumed during intense exertion or dieting.

A type of fat cell with a greatly increased density of mitochondria and a much greater blood
supply than ordinary "white" fat. Besides being able to store fat, brown fat cells can convert
calories directly into heat through a process known as non-shivering thermogenesis.
Brown fat is used by mammals to maintain body temperature and to expend excess calories that
are consumed but not stored as fat.

a weight plate (almost always olympic) with a rubber
outer rim to reduce damage to the floor (and the plate) in
case it is dropped. These are most commonly used in
olympic lifting
where very heavy
weights are lifted overhead

an exercise machine in which the lifter pulls on a handle attached
to a cable. The main difference between an exercise in which the
resistance is transmitted through a cable rather than being done with
free weights
is that the force is
in the direction of the cable rather than always pointing downwards.
For example, when using a cable machine to perform
curls
,
the cable may continue to provide resistance at the top of the movement while
the resistance the
biceps
must work against when lifting
free weights is minimal when the forearm is at or near vertical.

an inhibitor of
cAMP
phoshodiesterase; it enhances alertness and
potentates
the effects of other stimulatory
drugs by inhibiting the breakdown of cAMP, with the result that
cellular processes that are activated tend to remain active longer
than they would otherwise.
There is a popular myth that caffeine negates the efficacy of
creatine; this has not been demonstrated.

the muscle on the back of the lower leg responsible
for extending the ankle. The calf muscle has two heads,
which connect at the bottom and attach to
the heel: the
gastrocnemius,
the
top of which attaches above the knee joint, and the
soleus
which attaches below.
exercises targeting the calf include

a unit of energy, equal to the amount of energy needed to
heat one gram of water one degree celsius. In common usage,
the "calories" most often refer to kilocalories (also known
as Kcal or "food calories") which are really 1000 calories.

similar to a
pulley
, a cam normally has a
cable attached to one point of the rim, an attached axle that
transmits rotational force to or from another part of the machine,
and a radius that varies with angle, changing the amount of force
applied at different parts of the movement in a consistent manner.

a
barbell
with most of the middle offset;
used to increase the
range of motion
in bench pressing and also very effective for avoiding scraped
knees while
deadlifting
and for letting
the arms hang straight down during
shrugs.

a carotenoid related to beta carotene used as a red food coloring. When taken
in (relatively) large quantities, it imparts a reddish-orange tone to the skin
leading to its use as a tanning aid. It is non-toxic and has some antioxidant
activity, but prolonged use at high doses has been known to cause crystals to
form inside the eye.

digestible food components such as starches and sugars that
are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but not nitrogen.
Carbohydrates are the main constituent of most vegetables and
fruits, provide four
calories
per gram, and are present only in
small quantities in animal products.

a cheat rep is a
repetition
performed by deviating
from strict form (leaning, adding extra momentum at the bottom of the movement
with whole-body motion) after a lifter has reached the point
of
failure
with a given weight.

any kind of sleeve which may be slipped over the end of a
weight bar after the plates have been put on and then tightened
to hold the plates securely on the bar. This prevents plates from
slipping off the end of the bar, shifting position, or rattling
during the exercise. Olympic spin-lock collars typically weigh
either 5 or 5.5 pounds each.

a thin, lemon-colored liquid produced by the mother's breasts
in the first day or so after giving birth. While colostrum is beneficial for a
newborn infant of the same species as the one providing the colostrum,
it is not beneficial for adults. Adults do not have the same capacity as a
newborn animal to take up entire proteins in the GI system without digesting
them first. Do not waste your money on colostrum unless you're less than 6
months old and of bovine origin.

a type of
bicep curl
performed one-handed
with a
dumbbell
, the torso leaning far forward
and the elbow either directly below the shoulder or somewhat behind.
Usually the upper arm is supported by the inner thigh of the lifter,
though this is not required.

A particular structural variant of linoleic acid (a common unsaturated fatty
acid). Several studies exist supporting a potential health
benefit of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). No studies
suggest that it will aid muscle growth or fat loss.
It is food, certainly better than some other fat sources, but treat it
accordingly.

catabolicsteroids
such as prednisone or cortisol. These are
used to reduce inflammation by signalling tissues to break down. While
this certainly does have medical uses, corticosteroids will not aid in
building muscle--quite the opposite, in fact.

an exercise performed by "curling" the midsection to draw the
base of the ribcage and the hips as close together as possible;
the hip joints themselves should not move during the movement
and are usually held at a 90-degree angle by putting the lower
legs on a chair or bench with one's back on the floor.

A variation on the biceps curl in which the palms are kept facing
downwards (pronated) throughout the movement, preventing
the full contraction of the biceps and transferring more of the
force onto the brachioradialis. Typically, you'll only be
able to do two-thirds to three-quarters as much weight as you would be able to do in a
standard biceps curl.

important in the regulation of metabolic and neurologic processes and activity,
cAMP is generated in response to the activation of cellular receptors
and, in turn, the presence of cAMP within the cell activates the process in question. cAMP is
broken down by cAMP-phosphodiesterase.
The activity and duration of the process is
governed by the rate at which cAMP is produced in response to receptor activation and the
rate at which it is broken down. This is why the combination of ephedrine
and caffeine produce a greater metabolic response than the sum of their
effects when taken individually: ephedrine increseases receptor activation, caffiene inhibits cAMP
breakdown.

a
ketogenic
with the intentional addition
of periodic
"carb-ups"
(as opposed to snapping and going berserk
in a doughnut shop because you can't take it any more). The ketogenic
periods typically last five days to a month or longer, carb-ups are
usually only half a day to two days.

the chemical, typically formed into chromosomes, that forms the
chemical basis of genetics and heredity. Your DNA is what makes
you a human (assuming that's what you are) and not a hamster
(assuming you're not--it's hard to tell these things over the net)

A potent nonselective uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation that is
not only effective when ingested, but can also be absorbed through
the skin. It is used industrially as a wood preservative, in the
production of explosives, and as an ingredient in insecticides. It
is extremely flammable or explosive when dry.
Its use as a weight loss aid dates back to the 1920's, but side effects
such as lethargy, malaise, death, and bad breath soon caused the medical
establishment to discontinue its use. Reintroduced to the public as a
weight loss technique by the late Dan Duchaine, the small
therapeutic range
(the difference
between the effective dose and the lethal dose) and serious side
effects have continued to discourage its use.

a belt, usually without a buckle, with a chain or other method of attaching
a weight as a simple and comfortable way of adding weight when performing
exercises involving lifting one's own body. A dip belt is most commonly
used when performing
dips
(go figure!) and
chin-ups
, though it can be an effective way of allowing
the lifter to perform
pull-downs
without lifting
oneself up into the air during the movement.

a short bar with fixed or changeable weights mounted on each
end with enough space in between to grip with one hand.
the term "dumbbell" comes from the practice of demonstrating
strength by lifting heavy cast metal bells (like the Liberty
Bell, only smaller and not cracked). A "dumb bell" was a
bell made without a clapper so that it would not ring through
one's show of physical prowess. Eventually, any weight meant to be
hefted with one hand was referred to as a "dumbbell" and after
what we now think of as being a dumbbell shape became standard,
the word "bar bell" or "barbell" was coined to refer to a
similar weight with a central bar long enough to be held
easily with two hands.

Ephedrine,Caffeine,
and
Aspirin,
a popular and effective
thermogenic combination of drugs used for
weight loss and energy. Ephedrine is a stimulant that acts to increase
alertness, energy, and body temperature, thus increasing caloric expenditure.
Caffeine inhibits the body's natural tendency to counteract the stimulant
effects of ephedrine, so that the two of them used together increase caloric
expenditures more than the sum of the increases caused by each one used
individually. The most common dosage is 200mg of caffeine taken with 20mg
of ephedrine ( = 25mg of ephedrine hydrochloride) three times per day, the
third dose being taken not later than dinnertime. Caffeine and ephedrine
act as appetite suppressants, which has weight-loss benefits as well.
60mg of aspirin (about a quarter of a standard aspirin tablet) is often added
to the stack, but studies have not shown conclusively that ECA is more effective
for weight loss than ephedrine and caffeine without aspirin.
Please note that ephedrine and caffeine also have a diuretic
effect, so some weight loss will be due to a loss of water and not fat.

also known as adrenaline, epinephrine is a sympathomimetic hormone produced by
the adrenal glands that accelerates heart rate, constricts blood vessels,
raises blood pressure, dilates breathing passages, and accelerates the
peristaltic motion of the muscles lining the intestines.

There is no one hormone named "estrogen"; estrogens are hormones that
induce or accentuate female sexual characteristics (as well as performing
other functions, depending on the specific hormone). Estrogens include
estrone, progesterone, and estradiol.
"estrogenic" means "tending to induce the same effects that estrogen does";
while chemicals that mimic
testosterone
are
almost nonexistent in nature, our food supply, and our environment,
estrogenic chemicals are common. Some of these, such as genestein (found
in soy) have gotten considerable press coverage because they are weak
estrogens, meaning that while they can occupy an estrogen
receptor
,
they do not stimulate the receptor to as great an extent as the body's
own estrogens would, which can reduce one's risk of estrogen-related
cancers and tumors, most notably breast cancer.
However, for this last effect to occur, the weak estrogens must be
present in the body in sufficient quantity so that they displace
existing natural estrogens that would otherwise stimulate available
estrogen receptors--and the total degree of stimulation produced by
the greater number of occupied receptors must be less than would
have been produced by the naturally present estrogens alone.
Other estrogenic chemicals are found in plastics and pesticides and
exert harmful developmental effects by disrupting the normal hormonal
events that take place in humans and animals.

a short barbell with a shaft bent like a stretched-out 'w'
typically used for performing curls with the hands turned
inward more than they would be using a straight bar, putting less strain on the
wrists. A typical olympic EZ-curl bar weighs around twenty pounds, though there's
no "official" standard weight. Standard (takes plates with 1" holes) versions would
be lighter, typically ten to fifteen pounds.

Grab a weight in each hand--dumbbells will work fine in you don't have a
pair of large milk pails--and walk. Keep walking, carrying the weights
until your hands, shoulders, or some other body part is crying for mercy.
Then go a little further. Yeah, but a little further than that.

an indigestible component of food, chemically classified as
carbohydrates
(and may be included in the total carbohydrate
content listed on food labels), found primarily in unprocessed
vegetables, nuts, grains, and fruits. Fiber does not provide
calories,
but offers significant health benefits as a
component of the diet.

an exercise targetting the
pectoral
muscles
usually performed by lying face-up on a bench with
arms almost straight (don't lock out your elbows, just keep
the elbow joint at the same angle through the movement and move
only the your shoulder joint) and a
dumbbell
in each hand. Raise the weights slowly until they are directly
above your chest, lower them back out to the sides; repeat.

equipment moved in the performance of an exercise which is
simply raised and lowered as a complete unit. So called
because the weight is free to move in any direction and in
any manner the lifter can manage.
Free weights include
barbells
and
dumbbells

squats
done with the bar placed
across the front of the shoulders rather than across the
back. This concentrates the exercise more on the
quadriceps
and less on the back and
glutes.
Usually less weight can be lifted this way than when
performing a conventional squat.

also known as "fruit sugar" even though it is found in many foods besides
fruit and it is not the majority of the sugar content in most fruits. Fructose also
forms half of the sucrose (ordinary table sugar) molecule.
Approximately 50 grams of fructose per day can be metabolized by the liver into
glucose; amounts consumed beyond that will be converted into
triglycerides using an alternate pathway.

A short weight bar with rotating handles mounted in-line
with the bar so that they are free to rotate. Generally used
for
bicep curls
, the Gaspari bar allows
the lifter's hands to rotate freely. The Gaspari bar shown
here weighs 33 pounds, not including collars.

the superficial (on top) head of the
calf muscle
which together with the
soleus
(the other
head of the calf muscle) attaches to the heel through the
achillestendon
and to the
femur
just above the knee joint.

Glycemic Index (GI) is a rating system for carbohydrates that deals with
how quickly the sugar enters the blood stream and the extent of the insulin
response following that entry. GIs were initially established to help
diabetics regulate insulin levels following meals. Those carb sources that
have low GIs generally enter the blood stream slower or cause a smaller
insulin response. This can be beneficial for those trying to lose fat as
well as those who are diabetic.

a type of
starch
synthesized from
glucose
for
intracellular
storage. The primary glycogen stores
are in the liver and in the muscles; liver glycogen stores will be broken down
to
glucose and released into the bloodstream when blood sugar levels are low,
whereas
this does not happen with muscle glycogen stores which will be used only to
provide
fuel for the muscles themselves.
Note that way that glycogen is stored in the body requires four grams of water
to be
stored for each gram of glycogen. The combined weight and volume of muscle
glycogen
stores accounts for a significant part of total muscular size. The depletion
of these
glycogen stores (and the release of the accompanying water) is what accounts
for the
rapid weight loss experienced in the first few days of
ketogenic
and other reduced-carbohydrate diets.

A lower back exercise that's performed by putting a
barbell across your shoulders as if you were doing a squat, but instead of
bending at the knees, keep your knees in a slightly bent position throughout the
movement and bend only at the waist until your torso is close to horizontal,
then raise your torso back to the vertical position.

holding onto the bar (or other object); many exercises can be performed
with multiple grip styles and the type of grip used will affect the amount
of weight that can be used, the safety of the movement, and the muscles
targeted.

a reverse grip is one in which the wrists are rotated in
opposite directions (one
pronated,
the other
supinated
).
This is most commonly used for
deadlifts
because the tendency of the
bar to roll out of the hands is cancelled out, allowing
the lifter to hold more weight.

many muscles attach at a single point on one end and at
multiple points at the other, somewhat like a bunch of bananas,
but better at lifting big, heavy iron with.
"biceps"
means two heads;
"triceps,"
three;
"quadriceps,"
four.
often the multiple heads of a single muscle will
attach to different bones on either side of a joint.
The
calf muscle
has two heads,
which connect at the bottom and attach to
the heel: the
, the
top of which attaches above the knee joint, and the
soleus
which attaches below.
Because of this, if the knee is bent (such as when
performing
seated calf extensions
the gastrocnemius is put in a poor position to transfer
force and the exercise is performed largely by the
soleus head.

traditionally, a philosophy of therapy in which medical conditions
are treated by preparing a solution of a substance which produces
symptoms similar to those produced by the condition,
diluting it until no molecules of the active ingredient remain in
the solution, and then drinking it. The term is often applied
to any solution so prepared, and irrespective of whether the
homeopathic solution is intended to cure or cause a particular
reaction, it is an expensive technique for consuming small
quantities of water.
While it is not obvious why one would wish to do this, it does
have the advantage of relatively few side effects.

a metabolite of the branched-chain amino acid leucine, HMB is also available in
supplement form. Some studies have shown increased growth in cattle given
HMB, but evidence of any value for increasing human muscle growth and athletic performance
is limited.

of a joint, "hyperextension" refers to bending it beyond
its normal range of motion (usually this is bad).
as an exercise, "hyperextensions" are performed using a
roman chair
which supports one's
legs and hips in a horizontal,
prone
position. Either with or without a weight, one then bends
at the hips, lowering one's head and shoulders until one's
torso is close to vertical. Then, by contracting the
glutes
and
spinal erectors
, one raises
one's torso back upwards to above the horizontal.

A special award bestowed by the readership of Misc.Fitness.Weights upon the writer who most
fervently and persistently promotes or defends a claim the belief in which would normally be
considered inconsistent with the level of mental functioning necessary to operate a computer.
see
Misc.Fitness.Weights: the Idiot of the Month Award

a reduced sensitivity to insulin, meaning that more insulin must be
released to cause a given amount of nutrients
uptake
into the body's cells. Note that the
downregulation
of
insulin sensitivity
is likely to be more
extreme in lean tissue than
adipose tissue
, so that
persons who have developed a high degree of insulin resistance are likely to
preferentially store nutrients as fat rather than use them for tissue growth
and repair.
type-II (adult onset)
diabetes
is an extreme form
of insulin resistance.

An international governing body that oversees the rules and regulations of
powerlifting
competitions; IPF-sanctioned competitions and judging are overseen by
national-level powerlifting
associations that are affiliated with the IPF

a molecule with the same chemical composition (same number
of atoms of each type) as another, but with a different
chemical structure (arrangement or configuration of those atoms).
Two chemicals which are isomers of each other may produce effects
on the body that are similar or completely different.

a variation on the
squat
which is performed
with the bar held in the hands, usually using a
reverse grip
with one end of the
bar in front of the lifter and the other behind. The movement
is a lot like a
deadlift,
except that
the bar is rotated close to ninety degrees and generally is not
allowed to touch the floor at the bottom of the movement.

A diet involving the restriction of carbohydrates to
the point of inducing ketosis (buildup of significant levels of ketones in the
bloodstream). Usually this requires keeping carbohydrate consumption below 20 grams
per day.
Ketosis reduces appetite and some studies (but not all) have shown ketogenic
dieters to lose relatively more fat and less lean body mass than non-ketogenic dieters.
Note, however, that ketogenic diets are not usually well-suited for actually gaining muscle.

bands of fabric wound tightly around the knee during
powerlifting to slightly increase lifting ability;
their use should be avoided during general training
(apart from right before a competition) since they
can obstruct blood flow, compress nerves, and grind
the kneecap against
the front of the knee joint, resulting in inflammation
and possible damage to the cartilage of the knee joint.

a groved or roughened area along the length of a bar
to increase ease of gripping or to lessen the tendency
to slip (this is why a
squat bar
is
knurled in the center whereas a
deadlift bar
normally is not.

a sequence of chemical reactions occuring within the
mitochondria
of living cells in which acetic acid (produced from foods) is oxidized to
produce high-energy
phosphate bonds (converting ADP to
ATP
) to be used to
power the body's other metabolic processes. Also known as the
citric acid cycle
.

An exercise for the deltoids performed by standing
or sitting with the torso erect while holding a dumbbell in each hand. The
weights are raised slowly out to the sides until they are at shoulder level
and then slowly lowered (rather than allowing them to drop uncontrolled).
For the stress to be placed on the medial deltoid rather than the
anterior, the palms must face downwards through the movement. Elbows
should be kept rigid but slightly bent throughout the movement.

A variation on the lateral raise performed with the
torso leaning forward almost parallel to the floor, shifting the stress primarily to
the posterior deltoid. It can be done seated, standing, or on one knee, the palms
should face downwards throughout the movement, and you should "squeeze"
the posterior deltoids at the top of the movement.

a tough cord or band of dense white fibrous connective tissue
that connects two or more body parts other than muscles such
as providing support for an internal organ or holding the ends
of two bones together at a joint.

equipment moved in the performance of an exercise which is
not simply raised and lowered as a complete unit. Exercise
machines may guide or restrict the direction and extent of
a movement, use
cams,lever arms,pulleys,
or
cables
to redirect or alter the
resistance, or generate the resistance through springs,
hydraulic or pneumatic pistons, magnets, or elastic bands
rather than weights.

a molded plastic accessory intended to increase comfort and
stability of the bar during
squats
. One side
is shaped to fit across the shoulders of the lifter and the other
is designed to clip snugly around the bar.

PubMed, the National Library of Medicine's free search service to
access the 9 million citations in MEDLINE and Pre-MEDLINE
(with links to participating on-line journals), and other
related databases.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/

pressing either a
barbell
or
dumbbells
straight overheard
from shoulder height to full arm extension with an erect
torso. Performing this exercise while seated puts less
strain on the lower back than if it is doen standing.

the main central
organelle
in the eukaryotic
cell that contains
DNA
and directs
the growth and activity of the cell. Most cells have exactly one
nucleus, but
striated muscle cells
and
some slime molds have multiple nuclei within a single cell, and red
blood cells lose their nucleus before entering the blood stream (and
are no longer able to divide)

Olympic plates have 2" holes--actually 2-1/8" typically,
to give them room to slip onto a 2" diameter bar. There's
some variation in size of the holes in the plates and in
the diameter of the bar, depending on whether the
manufacturer is thinking in ISO/standard units (2" diameter
bar) or metric (5cm, a little smaller).
A lot of Olympic plates say "standard" on them. Ignore
this, it's only the hole size that matters, no matter how
many people try to convince you that "size doesn't matter."

weightlifting as traditionally performed in the Olympics
involving the
clean and jerk
and the
snatch
; at one time the
standing overhead press was included in this category,
but it was removed decades ago.

unsaturated fatty acids with the double bond at the third carbon
position. Omega-3 fatty acids include alpha-linolenic (found in
large quantities in
flax seed oil
)
and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids
(found in fish oils)

Training beyond the body's ability to repair itself. This can be caused by training
the same body parts too frequently so that the body does not have time to recover
before the next workout; workouts that are consistently harder than the body is
able to recover from fully; or impairment of the body's normal recovery ability due
to nutritional deficiencies, illness, or stress.
Besides impairing athletic performance, overtraining can increase the risk of injury
or disease. Symptoms of overtraining include fatague, reduced performance, and
increased resting heart rate.

a "cage" typically made with four vertical bars, each capable of supporting
hooks and/or crossbars which may be placed at any of several possible heights.
This allows a barbell to be placed at a comfortable starting height for squats, bench
presses, military presses, etc. Often, another set of hooks or a pair of crossbars
will be placed at a lower height to catch the barbell if the lifter is unable to
return it to the starting position.

a "bench" somewhat like a very heavy-duty music stand turned
away from the lifter with a padded, steeply inclined support
for the backs of the lifter's arms and often (but not always)
a seat behind. Placing the arms on a support like this prevents
them from moving except at the elbow while performing
curls.

also known as Scott curls (after Larry Scott), a variation
of
bicep curl
in which the back of the
arm is supported, generally on a
preacher bench
and usually but not necessarily with the elbow placed forward of
the shoulder.

"Prohormones" are actually hormones themselves and are chemicals produced
by the body (or close "chemical cousins" of such chemicals, as is the case
with the nor- varieties). The "pro-" part is used for two reasons: first,
because rather than themselves being the hormone one is actually interested
in supplementing, they are instead used by the body's biochemical pathways
to produce the hormone of interest; second, marketing.

a freely rotating wheel used to change the direction
of force applied by a
cable
. The
pulldown machine
typically
has a cable passing over one or more pulleys at the top
so that a downward force applied to the cable by the
lifter raises the weights at the far end of the cable.

A pullover is an exercise where you lie on your back on a bench
and reach your arms over and behind your head to pick up a weight (a
barbell or dumbbell). Moving just your shoulder joint (don't change
the angle of your elbows, lift the weight up behind your head and then
forward so it's above your chest. Then, still moving just your shoulders,
move it back the same way, over your head and then down behind your
head to the starting position.
Pullovers are done with either straight arms (a "straight-arm pullover")
which uses the pectoral muscles more, or with elbows bent through the
whole movement, which puts almost all the force on your lats.

the large muscle of the front of the thigh, composed of four heads:
the vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, and rectus
femoris. All of these join at a common tendon attached to the
kneecap and all of them are involved in extending the knee joint.
The rectus femoris attaches to the pelvic girdle (above the hip
joint) rather than to the
femur
and in addition
to extending the knee, it also flexes the hip.
exercises targeting this muscle include

a chemical site either within the cell or on the surface
of the cell membrane that responds to the presence of a
chemical stimulus such as a hormone or neurotransmitter
and triggers a series of chemical events that produce a
response on a cellular level.

a single complete performance of a movement, normally
including both the
concentric
(working against resistance) and
eccentric
(allowing the weight to move in the direction it would if
you let go) phases, so that at the end of one rep, the weight
and lifter are back in the position they were in prior to the rep.

visibility of fine detail below the level of individual muscles
and muscle heads. To be "ripped," it should
be easy to identify by sight the
striations
and muscle bands going across the heads of the deltoid, and the
different heads of the quadriceps.

fats
comprised of fatty acids in which
all possible bond positions along the carbon backbone are
filled with hydrogens. Saturated fats are solid at room
temperature, stable at high temperatures, and have long
shelf-lives. While this makes them excellent for frying,
especially deep frying, they have no nutritional or
metabolic functions beyond providing
calories.

a sequence of one or more complete performances of a movement, or
rep
done as a unit with minimal or no pause in
between. When you pick up a barbell, curl it ten times, and then
put it down, that is one set of ten reps.

Defined abdominal muscles, so called because six bulges are
visible (three per side) through the skin. The level of
bodyfat necessary to see all six varies between individuals
and the lower ones usually require the lowest bodyfat levels
to bring them out (so, if you have a little too much abdominal
fat left, you might have a "four pack" with just the upper
four showing.

tricep
extensions typically performed while lying on a bench with the
upper arms vertical. Grip a barbell in your hands with a
pronated grip
and arms straight upwards. Bending only your elbows, lower the weight towards
the bridge of
your nose, then push back to the starting position.

muscle tissue lacking the alternating dark and light bands that
characterize
striated muscle
, composed
of spindle-shaped cells with containing a single
nucleus
.
Also known as "involuntary
muscles" because their contraction and relaxation is not under direct
voluntary control. Smooth muscle tissue lines the arteries, intestines, and
is generally not attached to bones or ligaments.

a naturally occuring sugar alcohol
commonly used in "sugar-free" products. Its caloric content is
similar to ordinary sugar, but it is absorbed more slowly, reducing
its glycemic index, but often causing
gastric discomfort, gas, and diarrhea when consumed in large
quantities because intestinal bacteria have ample time to begin
breaking it down before it is absorbed.
After being absorbed into the bloodstream, sorbitol is converted into
fructose.

to "spot" is to provide assistance to another lifter
or at least to stand by ready to do so if needed. A spotter
for the
bench press
normally stands
behind the lifter and, should the lifter need assistance in
raising the weight, touches or grasps the bar and helps lift
it upwards.

the "king of exercises"; put a bar across your shoulders
while you are in a standing position and, keeping your torso
as upright as possible, squat down until the tops of your
thighs are parallel to the floor or below.
variations on the squat include:

a very tight, usually neoprene bodysuit worn
theoretically for protection, but in reality
because it increases the amount of weight that
can be lifted by compressing and applying a
straightening force to the legs and hips.

muscles that assist in the performance of an exercise
by steadying the joint or limb being moved, but not
increasing the force being applied.
One of the disadvantages of using
machines
rather than
free weights
for training
is that many machines take over the task of stabilizing the
movement, so that the stabilizing muscles are not trained to nearly
the extent that they would have been with free weights.

a pile of weight plates drilled so that they can slide
vertically on poles, most often two fixed solid rods
and one moveable rod with a series of holes along its
length, with a horizonal hole
or gap in each plate such that a pin may be inserted
through the hole or gap in the plate and into a matching
hole in the moveable rod. This weight and all those
above it may then be lifted by the moveable rod, which
is typically attached to a cable or lever arm.

foot and leg position during the performance of an exercise,
particularly
squats
and
deadlifts
.
This can make a great difference in the movement and the muscles
targeted. For example, a wide stance in the squat allows for a more
upright torso and tends to place more stress on the
glutes
and
thigh adductors
, while a narrower stance
tends to shift stress more to the
quads
and
lower back.

a weight plate designed to be mounted on a one-inch
diameter bar. Usually round with a central hole of
about 1-1/8", they are commonly available in 1-1/4,
2-1/2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 pound sizes. Many olympic
plates have "standard" written on them, but it's the
size of the hole that matters.

absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin under the tongue,
an area with especially thin skin and a rich blood supply. Bypasses
the liver and the rest of the digestive system and exposure to
all the acids and enzymes involved.

Structurally, a hydrogenated sugar molecule with taste and physical properties similar
to sugar, but more slowly absorbed by the body. Sugar alcohols include xylitol, mannitol,
sorbitol, and malitol, and do appear naturally in some foods. Used in "sugar free"
products because of their slow absorbtion rate (important for diabetics and those with
hypoglycemia), they still contain calories and count as carbohydrates.

SuperSlow is an exercise protocol whereby the weight is lifted in approximately
10 seconds and lowered in five seconds. It can be used with any
kind of resistance equipment: free weights, Nautilus or other machines, or
calisthenics (dry land) exercises.

A style of deadlift performed with the feet wider than
shoulder-width apart and the arms closer together and in between the knees. As
the lifter's torso descends, the knees travel outwards (and slightly forwards).
Most lifters can lift more in the conventional deadlift style, but a few can
lift more sumo-fashion, and this style also keeps the torso nearly upright through the
movement, placing less stress on the lower back.

A large inflatable ball typically used for support while performing
exercises like crunches, leg lifts, hyperextensions, etc. A ball
differs from a bench in that it acts as a "bouncy" unstable support,
requiring coordination and effort on the part of the lifter to keep
from falling over or off.
A site that sells Swiss balls and has examples of how to use them:

a tough cord or band of dense white fibrous connective tissue
that connects a muscle with another body part (such as a bone)
and transmits the force produced by the constraction of the
muscle to produce movement in the body part in question or to
use that part as an "anchor" from which to induce movement in
another part of the body.

The generation of heat, usually through biological processes. Thermogenic drugs, such as
ephedrine and caffeine increase the rate
at which the body produces heat internally, generally through the mechanisms used to
maintain body temperature.

"through the skin," as in transdermally-delivered drugs such as
testosterone
and
estrogen
patches. Transdermal delivery
allows chemicals that would be broken down by the digestive
system or destroyed by the liver to pass into the bloodstream. It
also can provide a slow and steady level of the chemical rather
than a sudden "pulse" when hitting the digestive system.

unsaturated fatty acids that have a "z" shape caused by unsaturated bonds being on alternate sides
of the molecule. Naturally formed unsaturated fatty acids are normally in the "cis" configuration, with
the unsaturated bonds on the same side of the carbon chain. The trans- configuration is typically
produced by the partial hydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids which is done to increase shelf
life, heat stability, and thickness.

A weight bar with a diamond-shaped section in the middle, typically used for
deadlifts and shrugs. During the exercise,
the lifter stands inside the diamond and grips the transverse handholds on either side
of the diamond.
Everything you'd ever want to know about the trap bar can be found at
www.trapbar.com

a kite-shaped muscle of the back with the points of the "kite"
at the base of the skull, the shoulders, and the center of the
lower back. The trapezius is primarily visible as the pair of
bulges on either side of the neck.

herb or herbal extract supplying protodioscin, which has been shown to
increase erectile response in rabbits. It has not, however, been shown to increase
total or free testosterone levels and studies on strength and body composition on resistance-trained
males have shown reduced gains in the tribulus group compared with the placebo group.

three-headed muscle (hence "tri-") forming the bulk of
the back of the arm. Its function is to extend the elbow.
Most pushing exercises, including the
bench press
and
military press
involve the triceps
extensively, especially at the top of the movement
exercises specifically targeting the triceps include

chemical name for
fat,
usually used
when referring to fats in the bloodstream rather than in food. The name comes from the three
fatty acid chains that together with the glycerol "backbone" make up the molecule.

fats containing fatty acids with some carbon-carbon double bonds. Saturated fats have all possible
positions that could be occupied by a hydrogen atom filled, leaving no double bonds in the carbon
chain.

One of (usually) a pair of vertical columns usually with hooks or other supports at the top
and/or along the side to support one end of a barbell. These are typically found on either side
of a bench or an area used for performing squats.
A power cage is essentially four uprights bolted together with a
platform or crossbars.

number of repetitions done in a training regimen; training is high-volume if
many repetitions are done, whether in many individual sets, circuit training, or
just spending all day pumping away at the weights.

Einstein may have been unsuccessful in his attempts to
create a unified field theory, but this has done nothing to
discourage Joe Weider in his campaign to unify the field
of weightlifting and bodybuilding by naming any and all
practices and techniques "The Weider [X] Principle" where
[X] stands for, well, pretty much anything. If you aren't
following any recognizable training style and just do whatever
comes to mind, you can rest assured that you are actually
following the "Weider Instinctive Training Principle" or
perhaps the "Weider Muscle Confusion Principle," depending on
whether you're at all consistent about it from one workout to
another.

using a sequence of
dumbbells
or
(less commonly)
barbells
with
decreasing weights, a lifter performs an exercise to
failure
with one weight and then immediately
switches to the next ligher weight. By the time you have
completed working "down the rack," you may not be able to
lift your arms, straighten them completely, or you may simply
be shaking from the kind of agonizing pain that tells you,
"wow, that was a good workout!"